Many studies have argued that meta-cognitive capability has high correlations with learners' learning abilities and results, thereby recommending meta-cognition as an effective teaching and learning strategy. However, various problems occur in classrooms because actual learning level and outcomes are not always in accordance with the learning theories on the relation between meta-cognitive capabilities and learning results in EFL environments. This study purposes to explore how and why learners' meta-cognitive capabilities and learning recognitions are not consistent with their learning levels and learning variables and how these differences affect on their learning processes. This study, thereby, aims to find more practical teaching-learning strategies in language learning. A survey was administered to 111 college students in Korea. The data from the questionnaire were analyzed with SPSS 12.0. One-way ANOVA, MANOVA, and t-test were used to examine the differences among the three groups of meta-cognitive capability (higher, medium, and lower) and the three groups of learning recognition(medium, lower, and ambiguous). The frequencies and percentages of learning recognition were analyzed by the three groups of metacognitive capability.
Based on the analysis of the results, the followings are induced. (1) The three meta-cognitive groups exhibit
significant differences in confidence, interest, goal, and satisfaction. The higher meta-cognitive group shows the highest score in all three aspects of confidence, interest, and satisfaction. (2) The three learning recognition groups indicate no significant difference in meta-cognition capability and learning level. It is not consistent with the prior researches on meta-cognition. (3) The study gives a special attention to the students with ‘ambiguous’ learning recognition, which generates various meanings. Considering these results, it is urgent to develop more practical teaching-learning strategies concerning learners' learning levels and meta-cognitive capabilities.